Contrada

Contrada is a racing game about the Palio di Siena, the bareback horse race run three times around Piazza del Campo. You ride for the Oca: the tufa is down, the shell of the piazza is packed with people at seven in the evening, and ten horses wait between the ropes of the mossa. Each Palio starts long before the rope drops. The tratta draws your horse from the ten on show. Your capitano makes partiti with rival jockeys — some sell you room, some ride against the Torre for you, and some take the money and ride for themselves. Old Duccio, the barbaresco, settles your horse in the courtyard before the start. Then you ride: hold your line, rein in before San Martino and the Casato, shoulder past rivals and spend the nerbo sparingly over three laps. Win, and the drappellone hangs in your contrada's museo, painted with a photo of your choice. Lose, and the digiuno goes on. Features: • Three-lap races around a faithful Piazza del Campo: a short, slow inside rail, a long fast outside line, mattresses at the curves • The mossa: wait at the canapi and react when the rincorsa charges in, or be the rincorsa yourself • Partiti: buy free passage or send a jockey after the Torre, and find out after the race who kept his word • Duccio the barbaresco: calm your horse with slow strokes before the start • Live weather from Siena changes the tufa: damp or wet evenings mean less grip in the curves • A museo of every Palio you ride, and drappelloni you paint with your camera or gallery • The seventeen contrade with their real colours, terzi and rivalries • Optional reminders for the real Palio evenings (2 July and 16 August) and an evening prova • Evening prova races with your best time to beat The canapo is about to drop. Bring the cencio home to the Oca.

First release.